RaveThe Star TribuneJordan Thomas’ When It All Burns is a tremendous book that deepened my understanding and appreciation not just of the men and women who serve as wildland firefighters but also of the long, tragic history of land mismanagement in the American West ... [Thomas] shares his vivid reflections of the arduous and terrifying work. He delineates the interconnections between not just the climate crisis and the ever-increasing megafires that now destroy more in a season than have burned previously in decades or centuries, but also the history of fire as landscape control and the (spoiler alert!) tawdry and tragic legacy of white supremacy, climate change and corporate greed ... This book is powerful, instructive and well written. Thomas shows the reader the vast beauty of the land, the fascinating and destructive power of fire and the legacy of our rapacious westward expansion ... He details the deep, complicated bonds of the hotshots, forged in extreme toil and dangerous conditions as well as in the idle hours, waiting or performing tedious labor. He gives us a vivid portrait of those who put themselves between the roaring monster and whatever remains unburned ... Entertains and educates without being preachy or despairing. I found it excellent.
